Virtuous Blood
by bukalay
Summary: Beings and creatures all over the world are suddenly attacking one another. Is this a work of the recently released villains or someone else is behind the scenes? Set after Descendants 3 and The Last Battle
1. Prologue 1

Days has passed since the barrier was taken down.

Days has passed since a lot of the residents of the isle were given conditional pardon from the High King himself.

Days has passed since a lot of the children who resided in the isle of the lost were freed from their unjust incarceration.

Ben and Carlos, alongside a few guards, were in the isle to check in with the children who were still on the isle for various reasons, reasons that were their own.

Mal, Evie and Jay were otherwise preoccupied with previous engagements. Mal and Evie were with the queen mother to plan for the party before the wedding of the soon-to-be-queen consort.

Jay was in Sherwood University, touring the campus grounds and look at the school's tourney team.

Uma and her whole pirate crew were also busy with their own endeavors.

There was only one other VK who was knowledgeable about isle matters, and that was Carlos de Vil.

Carlos de Vil continued to search for prospective schools for veterinary and its perquisites when Ben approached him.

* * *

"Ben, they've got nowhere else to go home to." Carlos sighed as he faced the king. "Evie's castle could only house so much before it's full." He explained. "Your castle is also out of the question, the council would never allow it."

"The prejudice against the VKs is really giving me a headache." Ben groaned. "They're just gonna live with it, the Queen-to-be is a VK."

"I really appreciate this Ben." Carlos smiled at his royal friend. "We all do." He added. "But the Queen consort is one thing and the thing is Ben, they don't know enough of the other VKs to be comfortable enough to be near you." He explained.

"I know." Ben sighed. "I just wish everything would turn out well magically."

"Well…" Carlos trailed off. "There's that wand." He offered teasingly.

"You know what I mean Carlos." Ben deadpanned at the suggestion.

"It was just a suggestion." Carlos shrugged as the two of them walked under the isle's archway.

As soon as the two boys and the guards stepped foot inside the isle of the lost, a lone barrel came rolling towards the king.

"Ben look out!" Carlos exclaimed as his eyes widened.

Carlos immediately he pushed the High King out of harm's way, but got himself hit by the rolling barrel and was thrown over the isle and into the water.

"Carlos!"

Ben immediately dove after his friend as he saw him struggling to stay afloat.

"You're Highness!" The guards expressed their alarm as the king dove unto the isle's murky waters. "Please get yourself to safety, we'll handle Mr. De Vil." One of the guards reasoned.

Before the High King could even form a reply, a whirlpool suddenly appeared and began sucking Carlos in.

Ben was able to grab hold of one of the pillars that has kept the isle's bridge entrance standing and prevent himself from being sucked in by the whirlpool.

"Carlos take my hand!" Ben yelled as he extended his free hand towards his friend.

To Carlos's credit, he did try to reach out for Ben's hand but as soon as their fingers touched, he was immediately swallowed by the whirlpool.

"Carlos!" Ben shouted as the whirlpool subsided. "Carlos!"

Ben immediately submerged himself underwater to find his friend.

* * *

Ben was about to give up the search and brought himself to the isle, he suddenly saw bubbles forming from on the water.

"Carlos?" Ben questioned.

Without waiting for any response, Ben dove back into the water once more. He immediately spotted his friend and grabbed hold of the hand.

"It's okay Carlos, I've got you, I've got you." Ben reassured as he swam ashore with Carlos in hand. "I got you buddy, I got you."

As soon as Ben had laid Carlos on the ground, on his back, the De Vil started coughing up water.

"W-what happened?" Carlos managed to ask hoarsely.

"A rogue barrel hit you and a whirlpool sucked you in." Ben answered truthfully. "We've been searching for you for an hour now."

"That was today?" Carlos asked, shocked.


	2. Prologue 2

"Well, this is rare." A boy with blue hair commented. "You never cared for me father, why did you call for me?"

"Don't get jealous Hadie" Mal rolled her eyes. "He never cared for me either." She reminded. "I lived with Maleficent remember?"

"Yeah he didn't." The boy, known as Hadie, agreed. "Not until you became the Queen Consort to-be."

"That's…"

"Children, simmer down." Hades groaned. "And Hadie, I'm trying alright."

"I'll believe it when I see it."

"That would be a very long time."

Mal and Hadie looked at each other at the strange response. The isle's barrier was down, VKs were free to come and go on the isle.

Some of the villains were even given conditional pardon, Hades included, by the High King which made their father's response all the more strange.

"See dear old brother up above ordered everyone in relation to him to stay out of the mortal plane for an indefinite amount of time." Hades explained. "Obviously yours truly was included by that order." He added.

"Why tho?" Hadie voiced out in confusion. "Surely he doesn't want to be separated from his grandchildren." He added. "Whom he spoils so much."

"An oracle gave a prophecy."

Mal's and Hadie's eyes narrowed.

Both children of Hades were aware of the events that transpired because of an Oracle's revelation. One of which was the prophecy which led to the swallowing of Hades and his siblings by their father, Kronos.

"Hauntings precede the cruel snow, ice fortress comes in tow." Hades recited. "Only when virtuous blood has been spilled, monarchs of yore will come in and help."

"Snow?" Hadie asked.

"Queen Elsa?" Mal followed.

"I don't know for sure." Hades shook his head seriously. "Persephone has observed that the mortal plane has been quite chilly lately." He shared. "Despite her presence."

"Zeus does not want his prized children or grandchildren to be that sacrifice, doesn't he?" Mal questioned. "In the name of fairness, he let you warn us of that prophecy."

"Maybe, maybe not." Hades shrugged. "He just stated that after you guys were warned, we are not to step into the mortal plane until the matter has been resolved." He added. "No matter how long that takes."

"Just one more question." Hadie piped in. "Why're you so keen on following Uncle Zeus now?" He asked. "I mean, you were never a big fan of his."

"I dunno." The god shrugged. "Maybe I've changed, being separated from your family does that to others." He attempted to explain. "Maybe to me too."

"Thanks for the warning dad." Mal smiled as she proceeded to hug her father. "We'll be on our guard."

Hadie merely watched his half-sister hug their father.

"No hug for me?" Hades questioned his son.

Hades extended his arm, a gesture of invitation for his son to join in.

Hadie raised an eyebrow at the comment and gesture.

"Don't be salty Hadie." Mal rolled her eyes. "Dear old dad here believed that by abandoning us, he was making us strong." She stated. "Remember, he abandoned me too."

"Fine."

Hadie joined in on the family hug before Hades disappeared into a rising blue flame that lead to the underworld.


	3. Auradon - Present 1

"You sure you won't check other schools first Carlos?" A boy wearing a black baseball cap asked. "There are other schools that have a better focused Pre-Vet degrees." He continued. "SFIT's kinda technology based." He added.

"Growing up, I've always been an anxious person." Carlos admitted to the man with him. "Tinkering with machines has never failed to calm me down." He explained. "I think a technology-focused Pre Veterinarian degree would suit me well Tadashi."

Carlos was in San Fransokyo, specifically San Fransokyo Institute of Technology, and scope out its programs and degrees and apply for the entrance exam he'd have to take. Accompanying him was Tadashi Hamada, the prized and famed student of his former mentor, Professor Robert Callaghan.

"You know, you could always present at the annual showcase." Tadashi suggested. "Just like what Hiro did when he decided to enroll." He continued. "Something that would blow the judges' away."

"Gaah Tadashi!" Another voice expressed her exasperation. "Phrasing!"

Tadashi merely looked sheepish. "Hello Gogo." He greeted the woman in black and white clothes behind them. "You're back early."

"How many times do we have to tell you that we don't want a repeat of what happened." Gogo growled.

"Sorry." Tadashi apologized. "I figured that since Hiro and the others aren't here, it's okay." He defended himself.

"We may be people of science Tadashi but we can't just risk tempting the cosmos, as Fred would put it, and repeat history." Gogo sighed. "I know it's hard limiting your vocabulary, but considering what happened to you, we can't risk it."

"I know Gogo, I'm sorry." Tadashi apologized once more. "I do understand."

"We can't risk losing you one more time." Gogo muttered to herself.

Carlos felt like he wasn't supposed to witness the recent turn of events. He knew that they were talking about Tadashi's apparent demise during the fire that engulfed the school's presentation building a few years back.

Frankly, Carlos could understand what Gogo was saying.

No matter what happened afterwards, you can't just erase what and how you felt.

Tadashi Hamada may have been resurrected, for lack of better term, but his return can't erase the fact that his friends and family grieved for him.

Just the same as how living in Auradon didn't erase the abuse the VKs went through at the hands of their parents and cruelest people in the isle.

"Why don't we accompany Carlos to the cafeteria?" Tadashi immediately changed the topic at the somber atmosphere. "What do you say Carlos?"

"Good idea!" Carlos readily agreed, eager to change the topic once more.

"Sure." Gogo nodded. "Frankly kid, you need to gain more weight." She commented as she looked at the de Vil. "Does the king even feed you?"

"I have to agree." Tadashi nodded. "You are way too skinny for someone your age."

"During our first year at Auradon Prep, we were free to eat the food at the buffet table." Carlos answered.

"We better be careful." A woman whispered. "A VK is outside Auradon's borders." She continued. "He might steal or even poison our food."

"Couldn't agree more." A boy agreed. "I really don't feel envious of Tadashi right now." He continued. "Having to tour the VK around, must be pretty tense."

"I know right?" Another woman nodded. "What was Granville thinking when she organized this?" She exclaimed. "Making Tadashi escort a VK."

"Would the three of you volunteer then?" Gogo whispered to their ears.

"Hell no!" The trio exclaimed rather loudly.

"Then scram." Gogo yelled.

The trio wasted no time and ran away from Gogo.

"Because of that." Carlos explained as he gestured at the running trio.

"Prejudice really is something huh?" Gogo asked.

"Well, nothing's worse than the isle." Carlos shrugged. "We just learned to deal with this."

Tadashi and Gogo looked at each other. They were uncomfortable at Carlos's implications. They had witnessed the boy's scars when they first met him, but the recent revelation may have been a lot darker than any of them realized.

"To answer your earlier question Tadashi." Carlos looked at man beside him. "I don't really think creating something impressive in time for the presentation would be viable."

"How come?"

"I'm sure the King would gladly support me." Carlos answered. "For the sake of the younger kids from the isle, I'd rather not." He added. "I can take the disdainful comments, I have grown accustomed to the insults in the isle." He began to explain. "However kids like Squeaky and Squirmy don't have that luxury."

"I see." Tadashi nodded. "That reasoning also explains why you requested Professor Granville a separate room to take your entrance exams." He mused. "Despite her prejudice or lack thereof."

"I'd rather prove my entry with my own merits than have it questioned countless times." Carlos nodded.

"I'm willing to bet that some of the board would want de Vil here to take the entrance exam at the lobby where everyone can see him." Gogo mused. "I just find it ironic you know." She looked at Carlos. "You wanted out of the isle to escape suffering but you ended up suffering still even outside of the isle."

"What can you do?" Carlos shrugged. "Apparently genes matter the most."

"You just have to woman up." Gogo nodded.

As the trio conversed on their way to the campus's cafeteria, they witnessed a squirrel slashing the bark with its claws.

"Is that squirrel okay?" Carlos asked the people with him.

"Don't worry about that." Gogo assured. "It's just marking its territory." She explained. "That one marks its territory rather aggressively."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah." Tadashi nodded. "You'd surprised at how many students that one has tried to claw just for being in close proximity of the tree."

"Back to our previous topic." Gogo steered the conversation's subject. "Hiro has already programmed Cat and Dog care tips unto Baymax." She continued as the three of them continued their journey towards the campus's cafeteria.


	4. Auradon - Present 2

"Welcome back Carlos." Evie greeted as Carlos slumped on the couch. "How was your two days in San Fransokyo?"

"I hope you didn't kiss the ground Tadashi walked on." Mal teased. "Like you said you would when you found out that he'll tour you around the campus." She smirked.

"Hey!" Carlos reacted with indignation. "It was great." He answered. "Aunt Cass has been giving me lots and lots of food during my stay there."

"Aunt Cass?" Jay questioned.

"She insists on being called that way." Carlos shrugged. "In any case, during my stay with the Hamadas I got to tinker machines with them."

"My question still stands C." Mal teased.

"Ignoring her royal purple-ness." Carlos fired back. "As I was saying, I got to tinker machines with them, even tested a few prototypes they had." He gushed. "Did you know Tadashi made their room snow when he was my age?"

"No way!" Mal cried in disbelief. "Please tell me he used magic."

"He's a man of Science!" Carlos exclaimed. "Of course he didn't use magic."

"Shut up!" Jay exclaimed. "Dude, that's rad."

"Get this, he made something that could fly." Carlos excitedly shared. "A skateboard that can fly."

"I still think he's using magic." Mal huffed. "Right E?"

"Nope." Carlos shook his head. "No magic involved." He grinned. "He calls them 'hover boards' and I got to test them out!"

"Okay everyone." Evie interrupted the sharing session. "Not to interrupt you gushing about Tadashi." She teased.

"Hey!"

"But Carlos I'm going to need to retake your measurements." Evie announced. "I don't think your clothes fit you anymore." She explained.

"Sure." Carlos nodded. "When?"

"When do you take your entrance exams?" Evie responded with another question.

"In seven weeks." Carlos answered. "Why?"

"I'll be taking your measurements anytime within three weeks." Evie answered. "Once I finish all my commissions and the paper works in the castle."

"Should you really be working on those E?" Mal asked. "I think Shrimpy can handle them just fine."

"And risk her jeopardizing our progress?" Evie raised an eyebrow. "I don't think so M." She huffed. "If she can work on controlling her temper than I would gladly hand over some work to her, for now I'll take her duties."

"If you say so." Mal shrugged. "But if you need any help, call me okay?"

"What are we?" Jay exclaimed. "Chopped liver?"

"Maybe Carlos too." Mal smirked.

"Wha-"

"Trust me Jay, you don't want this." Carlos assured. "Filing in the paper work just to accompany Ben to the isle a few weeks back was hectic." He complained. "Not to mention the side eyes I've been getting from some members of the council of sidekicks."

"Gah!" Mal groaned. "I turned my mother into a lizard, I'm soon to be their queen, what more must I do just to placate their worries?!"

"They trust you and Evie just fine Mal." Carlos corrected. "It's the rest of us, they're uneasy." He sighed. "I don't think bleeding on a table would assuage them of their fears."

"We'll just have to do our best." Evie assured. "And hope for the best possible outcome."


	5. Auradon - Present 3

Carlos was in the library hoping to study for his upcoming entrance exams. He was about to return where he sat, carrying a stack of books, when he witnessed something any and all VK has probably experienced at some point.

The core four has experienced this a whole lot.

"H-hey! That's mine!" A girl in pigtails and glasses insisted. "Give that back!"

"Oh girls, this VK stole my new pen." The girl chimed as she looked at the she got from the girl with mild interest. "Ugh, why'd they remove the barrier in the first place anyway?"

"Give that back!" The smaller girl tried jumping to retrieve her pen.

"Uh-uh." The taller girl clicked her tongue as she raised the pen she plucked from the girl's hand higher. "This is my pen now." She haughtily informed the smaller girl. "And I say you stole this."

"That's not true!" The small girl insisted. "That's my pen and YOU stole it."

"It's your word against mine." The taller girl smirked. "Who do you think Fairy Godmother will believe?"

"Dizzy!" Carlos called out. "Why don't you accompany me as I study for my entrance exam?" He smiled at her. "I could also give you hand at your homework."

The woman the little girl, Dizzy, was talking to glared at Carlos. As if she was daring him to go against her.

"B-but." Dizzy looked at Carlos then at the tall girl.

"Forget the pen." Carlos shook his head.

"Knew someone like you would understand your place de Vil." The girl smirked. "You may have the king under your thumb but we'll eventually free him and you'll be back to the Isle sooner." She taunted.

Carlos merely rolled his eyes as he held unto Dizzy in an attempt to comfort her. Cruella has dished out insults and things much worse than these bullies have.

* * *

Carlos, Dizzy, Evie and Jay were in Evie's starter castle, the castle's living room specifically, after Carlos informed Evie of what happened. She was with Jay when the call was made, so the two of them rushed to the library and took both Carlos and Evie home.

"It's okay Dizzy, Evie's here." Evie comforted her charge by rubbing the little girl's back. "You can have my pen for the meantime."

"I-I I thought being in Auradon would free us from suffering." Dizzy sobbed. "Why are they so mean?"

"That's just how things are." Jay shrugged.

"Jay!" Carlos and Evie hissed.

"I expected this from Uma but not you Jay." Evie sighed.

"What?!" Jay indignantly replied. "Look, the sooner the kids know of the real score, it won't be hard for them to integrate themselves." He explained. "I just don't get why you insist in putting them in an unrealistic bubble."

"They're not like us Jay." Carlos explained. "They didn't suffer as much as we did while in the isle." He added. "We can take the insults, their insults pale in comparison to what we've experienced." He continued. "I literally ran for my life every single day."

"Mal wasn't exactly kind to me when she invited me to Carlos' party either." Evie somberly shared.

"Look I know what you guys are trying to do with kids like Dizzy." Jay acquiesced. "I think it does more harm than good keeping kids like Dizzy in a bubble of dreams." He explained. "Auradon may be the land of dreams, but that motto refers to Auradonians outside but not the people from the Isle."

"And I thought the four of you were all idiots." Uma commented as she entered the room.

"Uma."

"I never really got why you, Mal and Mr. Dalmatian over there insisted on telling the children lies about Auradon." Uma stated as she sat on a vacant couch. "Telling them how Auradon's great and all." She added. "Shielding them from the reality that they would never accept us, not unless we're all corpses rotting under the sea." She scoffed.

"Is that true Evie?" Dizzy asked.

Evie just sighed and nodded her head, unable to refute Uma's statement. She immediately hugged the Dizzy as the young girl found her hope crushed.

"I'm so sorry Dizzy." Evie apologized. "I wanted you to enjoy Auradon before its ugly head made itself known."

"It's better this way blueberry." Uma offered as she stood up. "She'd be hurt this one time only." She put her hand on Evie's shoulder in solidarity.

"Shouldn't it be our duty to give her and the other children hope though?" Carlos voiced out as Dizzy continued to sob.

"What use is giving her hope de Vil?" Uma challenged. "Even if you bled in front of them, they'd never accept you, us, due to our parentage." She snarled.

"I know." Carlos agreed. "However, living cynically like you do doesn't really do us any justice does it?" He questioned. "If we continue to think like you Uma, we shouldn't have left the isle." He explained. "And no retaliating on them won't do us any favors."

"Agree to disagree de Vil." Uma huffed. "If there's another Auradonian crisis, you won't see me helping these ungrateful pricks." She stated with finality. "I had something to gain last time, or we thought we had something to gain."

"Mal lied to us all." Jay joined in the conversation.

"I don't think it's relevant to open that back again." Evie sighed as she carefully lied the now sleeping Dizzy on the long couch.

"Does not change the fact she lied." Uma shrugged.


	6. Auradon - Present 4

It was supposed to be a normal day for High King Ben. A normal day of meeting with the different delegates of the different states of the kingdom.

A normal day for meeting with the council.

A normal day with meeting the King Father and Queen Mother.

A normal day for meeting the Council of Sidekicks.

A normal day for High King Ben who still attended Auradon Prep.

It started that way at least.

Until Lumiere rushed into the council room and forced the door open.

"Big trouble your majesty!" Lumiere managed to say in between breaths. "Big trouble."

"What do you mean Lumiere?" Ben questioned.

Ben frowned at the butler's statement. He could not think of anything that would cause any trouble. Uma and the pirates were busy mitigating the potential troubles the recently freed VKs would cause.

Mal and Evie were busy making laws, or bills, that would be beneficial for both the VKs and Auradonians, and were succeeding.

While Hades was currently missing, Hercules had assured him that Zeus had called his brother, alongside Poseidon, to Olympus and therefore would not cause any trouble.

He was also confident that the freed villains won't be causing trouble for the populace as Fairy Godmother's magic would alert him if they did something villainous, and so far, the alarms haven't gone off.

"Timon and Pumba attacked Chip sire." Lumierre answered with urgency. "Missus Potts is currently attending to her grandchild."

"Timon and Pumba?" Ben frowned. "The Hakuna Matata pair?"

"Yes sire." Lumiere nodded. "Cogsworth and the other guards have successfully detained both of them sire."

Ben looked at the council who sat before him, they were indeed waiting for Timon and Pumba to arrive to the meeting.

"You can go your majesty." The Genie nodded. "We can postpone the meeting for later, Timon, Pumba and Chip's safety comes first." He continued. "Right guys."

The rest of the council nodded in approval before Ben followed Lumiere to the courtyard where the Simba's sidekicks were contained.

"What happened Lumiere?"

"Chip just went on his daily routine of greeting the castle's newly arrived guests when the pair arrived." Lumiere narrated. "They just attacked poor Chip out of nowhere sire."

"Has Simba been made aware?"

"Yes sire." Lumierre nodded. "Madame Garderobe made the call to the Pride Lands." He relayed. "Fairy Godmother and Lady Mal are also on the way to see if magic was involved in the duo's strange behavior."

Ben nodded at the information as the two of them went out to the courtyard to see for themselves.

Surrounded by a tall fence, Timon and Pumba acted like they were cornered mice, feral and growling at anyone near them, in this case at the guards and Cogsworth.

"Cogsworth! Report!" Ben commanded.

"From witness accounts sire, Timon and Pumba had attacked Chip as he did his daily routine." Cogsworth narrated. "They arrived at the castle calmly and were even joking with each other." He continued. "However their demeanor changed when they entered the castle grounds."

"How so?" Lumierre inquired.

"According to them, they looked scared." Cogsworth answered. "They were acting as if Scar himself was after them."

"Magic?"

"I don't think that's the case Ben." Mal answered the King's question as she entered the courtyard with Fairygodmother. "Fairy Godmother has been scanning for magical residues but found none."

"Mal is right Ben" Fairy Godmother nodded. "I haven't found anything magic-based that could change Timon and Pumba's demeanor so suddenly."

"Isn't magic the only thing that could make this radical change in attitude possible?"

"There are prohibited substances that can cause such a radical change of behavior." Fairy Godmother answered. "It is entirely possible that it was something that they both ingested." She added. "Besides, the alarm I set up didn't ring. Did they?"

Ben shook his head. "Thankfully no."

"So it's not the work of the villains out of the isle." Mal concluded.

"Why don't we look for a veterinarian?" Cogsworth suggested. "We aren't licensed to take blood from them."

"Instead of a veterinarian, why don't we call for Rafiki's attention?" Fairy Godmother offered. "He and Simba could arrive together."

* * *

Ben, Mal, Simba and Fairy Godmother listened to Rafiki's diagnosis after he checked on the sedated pair.

Cogsworth and a few other soldiers stood ground and guarded the perimeter while Lumiere went back to his duties.

"It's a hallucination-induced paranoia your majesty." Rafiki relayed his diagnosis. "A few of the mushrooms in the Pride Lands have a hallucination side effect." He continued.

"Even in old age, these two would eat whatever they find on the ground." Simba groaned. "They probably ate the hallucinating mushrooms during one of their wanderlust moments."

"Is this curable?" Ben questioned.

"Yes your majesty." Rafiki nodded. "However, I fear that they have eaten the one mysterious mushroom that even non-herbivores are enticed to eat." He shared.

"Non-herbivores?" Fairy Godmother questioned. "Enticed?"

"Yes." Simba nodded. "The animals that have eaten that particular kind of mushroom were simply separated from the populace." The Lion King shook his head. "So far no one has created a cure, not even the human scientists in Auradon and beyond."

Ben held unto Mal's hand tightly at the seemingly hopeless situation.

"Can something be done?" Mal asked Ben's unasked question.

"Sadly no."

Before Fairy Godmother could even offer some words of consolation, Lumiere once again rushed to the King's side.

"It looks like it's not only Timon and Pumba that has been affected by this affliction." Lumiere reported. "Hercules just reported that his trainer, Phil, has begun attacking anyone in his line of sight."

"No that couldn't be possible." Rafiki's eyes widened. "Those hallucinating shrooms are only native in the Pride Lands." He shared. "Olympus doesn't grow those shrooms."

"Is magic still connected in this crisis after all?" Ben questioned. "Magic could have been used to migrate and let those mushrooms survive Olympus's climate." He reasoned.

"It's hard to say." Mal answered. "We could travel to Olympus to make sure."

"Hercules has already confirmed that magic wasn't involved in Phil's affliction." Lumierre reported. "Although he has yet to confirm whether Phil has ingested the mushrooms Timon and Pumba supposedly ate."

"What do we do Ben?" Mal asked. "If this continues, this could spell disaster."

"I don't know." Ben sighed. "I wish someone could provide the answers."

"For now, all we can do is separate them to the populace." Simba answered. "Hope that an antidote would be made in time before anyone else will be afflicted."

"That's the only thing we can do for now." Fairy Godmother sighed.

"I'll arrange for the safe transport of Timon and Pumba to the Pride Lands." Ben offered towards the Pride Lands' monarch.

"Please do." Simba nodded. "I really hope an antidote would be made fast."

"We hope so too." Ben sighed. "Fairy Godmother could you please see Simba and Rafiki off? I still have a meeting to get to."

"Of course Ben." Fairy Godmother nodded.

"Would you like me to accompany you?" Mal asked.

Ben's only response was to hold unto Mal's hand tightly.


	7. Ainran - Past 1

_Carlos woke up and found himself in the middle of the forest. He took a few moments to reorient himself before looking at his surroundings._

"_That's strange." Carlos voiced out loud. "I don't recognize these pathways and the surroundings." He added as he decided to walk. "I really hope I'm just in a secluded part of the Sherwood Forest."_

_Carlos continued to walk around aimlessly when he came around a shirtless man with the lower body of a horse?_

"_A centaur?" Carlos whispered to himself. "What's a centaur doing in Sherwood Forest?" He asked himself._

_Carlos was confused, he had once read a book about how centaurs and a few other races were separated from everyone else for humanity's safety._

_Carlos watched the Centaur patrol the perimeters before stopping to admire the trees and shrubbery and their immediate surroundings. He was about to go and approach the centaur when they picked up a brown mushroom that looked like a closed umbrella._

_The centaur took a bite off of the mushroom. They seemed to not like the taste of the raw mushroom and threw the raw food on the ground before going back to patrolling his territory._

_Carlos was about to make another attempt to approach the centaur and ask some questions when things got dangerous._

_The centaur Carlos was just watching began charging at a nearby tree with that one look in his eyes. _

_Carlos knew what the look on the centaur's face._

_It was the look of fear._

_Carlos has seen lots of faces with the same expression as the centaur back when he was still in the Isle of the Lost._

_Carlos slowly backed away when…_

_**-CRACK-**_

_He stepped on a lone branch and broke it in half, garnering the attention of the rampaging centaur._

_Carlos immediately ran in the hopes of losing the wild centaur but he soon found himself cornered by a grove of trees._

_Without deliberation, Carlos ducked and hugged his knees as the centaur got closer, and closer to him. _

_Not a moment later, the charging centaur crashed himself, headfirst, on the tree's trunk. He, definitely a male centaur, huffed in annoyance then looked around then crashed himself unto another trunk without reservations._

_Carlos watched in fear as the centaur continued him rampage and seemingly forgot about him._

_Suddenly a nearby shrub of flowers expelled spores that knocked both the rampaging centaur and Carlos out._


	8. Auradon - Present 5 Ainran - Past 2

"Evie" Carlos started as he let Evie take his measurements, shirtless. "Couldn't this have waited until I got fully dressed?"

"Oh shush you." Evie rolled her eyes. "My day's fully booked from 10 up till 6." She reminded her friend as she placed the tape measure on his shoulders. "You're a growing boy Carlos and you've outgrown most of your clothes by now."

"Yeah I get that." Carlos nodded. "Did you really have to take my measurements with me shirtless?"

"Like I told you, I got clients from 10 am to 3 pm then I'll be with Mal from then on until 6 pm." Evie reminded. "I won't have the time to accommodate you later." She added. "If I remember right, you're leaving for San Fransokyo in a month to take the entrance test."

"That doesn't really answer my question." Carlos murmured to himself. "Well, could you hurry this up?" He grumbled. "It's drafty this early in the morning."

"What are you talking about, it's already 9"

Before Carlos could even retort at Evie's response, Jay went inside Evie's workshop carrying a very weak Dude.

"What happened?" Carlos literally jumped off of the measuring platform and went for his canine confidant.

"I don't know." Jay honestly answered in panic. "This happened after he munched on a brown mushroom."

Mushroom…

Mushroom…

"Jay tell me what the mushroom looked like." Carlos barked an order.

"I don't know." Jay answered confused at the tone his friend was making. "It was brown."

"Tell me Jay!" Carlos all but shouted in panic.

"Carlos?" Evie looked at her friend in worry. "Is everything alright?"

"It looked like a small closed umbrella."

"No." Carlos's eyes widened. "No, no, no, no." He repeated

"Carlos?" Evie voiced out. "What's wrong?"

"Not the Devil's mushroom."

"Carlos… ugh." Dude groaned. "I don't feel so good."

"Dude, Dude." Carlos looked into the dog's eyes. "Everything's going to be alright, okay bud?" He assured his canine friend. "Just know that what's happening is not your fault."

"C?" Jay questioned. "What's happening?"

"There's no time to explain." Carlos expressed. "Jay, Evie pluck a few flowers of Atragene Speciosa." Carlos ordered. "You can't miss it; it looks like a purple light bulb." He explained. "We'll meet at the school's chemistry lab."

"What about Dude?" Evie questioned.

"Is there a vacant room here E?" Carlos asked.

"There's one near the living quarters." Evie answered.

"We'll lock Dude in there so that he can't hurt anyone." Carlos explained.

"Lock him inside?"

(linebreak)

_Carlos groaned as he woke up, again, in the middle of the forest. He took notice of the glowing moon in the night sky._

"_Good you're awake. We've been asleep for most of the day."_

_The voice startled him so much that he immediately scrambled to get up and got on guard._

"_At peace cousin." The voice assured. "I mean you no harm." They continued. Carlos's eyes narrowed as he focused on the speaker._

_It was the rampaging centaur from earlier._

"_How can you be so sure?" Carlos questioned. "I witnessed you bash your head at everything you see without a care in the world."_

"_Is that what I did?" The centaur asked. "If that is what happened, then I humbly ask for an apology for scaring you so." He bowed. "I regret that I may have fallen prey to the affliction that's been plaguing Ainran for a decade." He explained._

"_Ainran?" Carlos questioned. "A plague?"_

"_Yes cousin." The centaur nodded. "As far as everyone is concerned, there's no cure for this affliction." He continued. "I am perplexed that I was able to escape the plague and still come out alive." He honestly admitted. "How were you able to cure my affliction, if I may be so bold to ask?"_

_Carlos was at a loss. He didn't know how to answer the centaur's inquiry. He does remember the events that happened beforehand, now that he was fully awake._

"_You see…" Carlos trailed off._

"_Arlus." The centaur identified himself._

"_You see Arlus, after you bashed your head against the tree behind me." Carlos began. "Something was released that knocked the both of us out." He continued. "That may have been the cure for your sickness." He offered._

_The centaur, Arlus, looked around and saw a shrub of opened flowers. He checked on one of the flowers on the shrub before looking at the boy._

"_I assume the Sareena flower is the cause of this fortunate development." Arlus offered as he plucked the flower and showed it to the boy._

"_The Atragene?" Carlos questioned. "I only know of this as a sedative." He hummed._

"_A sey-da-tib?"_

"_This plant is used to put people unconscious." Carlos explained. "I wonder if there's a way to mitigate the sedating effects of the plant." He muttered to himself._

"_If I may…"_

"_Carlos"_

"_If I may Carlos," The centaur repeated. "I would like to invite you to Riap Veracal." He continued. "The council of elders would like to know of your discovery."_

"_It's not so much that I discovered it, more like we stumbled into it."_

"_Nonsense!" Arlus bellowed out. "A son of Adam has always done extraordinary things."_

"_My father isn't Adam tho?" Carlos muttered._

"_Regardless cousin." Arlus addressed the human. "I have yet to receive your answer."_

"_Sure." Carlos nodded. "Tho this cure needs to have its sedating effect lessened."_


End file.
